Tanks for the storage and transport of fluid media under pressure

Abstract

A support system is provided for a tank for the storage of fluid media under pressure which tank has its top, bottom and side walls each made up of a series of parallel outwardly convex lobes. The bottom supports of the support system comprise A-frame cradles that are secured to external structure, and have traylike saddles at their apices in which rest blocks of load-bearing heat-insulating material shaped at their tops to fit into interlobe nodal recesses of the tank bottom. When each heat-insulating block is in correct positional relationship with the respective tank bottom recess, the tray in which it rests is filled with synthetic plastics material which sets to anchor the block in place. The support system also comprises top and bottom locating keys which likewise are located at interlobe nodes of the tank top and bottom walls, each consisting of an extension piece or tongue projecting from an interlobe node to engage external support structure. There may be top locating keys at every interlobe node of the tank top but only one central key at the tank bottom.

What we claim is: 
     
       1. A support system for a tank of which at least the bottom wall is made up of a series of outwardly convex lobes that are elongated in one horizontal direction so as to form a series of parallel interlobe nodal recesses between the lobes, said support system comprising a plurality of support assemblies under the tank, each support assembly consisting of a pedestal upstanding from external support structure below the tank, and a block of load-bearing heat-insulating material supported on said pedestal and tapering upwardly to an apex at its top which is shaped to fit contiguously into an interlobe nodal recess of the tank bottom, said pedestal having at its bottom a base secured to said external support structure and further having at its top a tray-like saddle with a horizontal floor in which the bottom of said block rests, with synthetic plastics material filling said saddle tray and in which said bottom of said block is embedded, the width of said bottom of said block, in the horizontal direction at right angles to the longitudinal direction of said parallel lobes forming the bottom of the tank, being less than the width in the same direction of said tray-like saddle so as to allow for a degree of misalignment between said pedestal and the interlobe recess of the tank bottom. 
     
     
       2. A support system according to claim 1, wherein a bottom support assembly is located at every interlobe nodal recess of the tank bottom. 
     
     
       3. A support system according to claim 1, wherein the tank is further provided with top and bottom locating keys. 
     
     
       4. A support system according to claim 3, wherein the tank top wall also is made up of a series of parallel outwardly convex lobes, and the top locating keys are located at every interlobe node of the top of the tank. 
     
     
       5. A support system according to claim 3, wherein only one bottom locating key is provided midway along the tank. 
     
     
       6. A support system according to claim 1, wherein the heat-insulating block of each support assembly is so positioned as to locate accurately in the respective interlobe nodal recess of the tank bottom when the tank is at cargo temperature, the synthetic plastics material being solidified around the bottom of the block when the correct position of the block has been obtained. 
     
     
       7. A support system according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the bottom support assemblies extend continuously across the tank bottom. 
     
     
       8. A support system according to claim 3, wherein each locating key comprises an extension piece or tongue projecting from an interlobe node of the tank vertically toward external support structure, and a pair of blocks of heat-insulating material fixed to said external support structure and located at opposite ends of said extension piece, the extension piece having end plates to engage the blocks and provide the keying function. 
     
     
       9. A support system for a tank within the hull of a ship, and according to claim 1, wherein the parallel lobes of the tank and the bottom support pedestals extend transversely of the ship.